Beginning on January 5, 2014, a new television show highlighting ocean and coastal scientists and cultural experts from Hawai‘i and the Pacific will air on KFVE, The Home Team (Channel 5 and 1005) on Sundays at 6:00 p.m.

The show, titled Voice of the Sea, is hosted by Dr. Kanesa Duncan Seraphin, world paddleboard champion, shark researcher, and science education expert.

Dr. Seraphin, director of the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant Center of Excellence in Marine Science Education and associate professor at the Curriculum Research & Development Group in the College of Education at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, has traveled across the Pacific to bring stories of relevance to Hawai’i. Each half-hour episode profiles local science and cultural celebrities and presents thought-provoking information in an exciting, original, reality-based way.

People of all ages will be inspired by the real-life stories and experiences highlighted in each episode, and viewers will get a glimpse of how these remarkable individuals are making a positive impact on the future of Hawai‘i and islands throughout the Pacific.

John Fink, general manager of KVFE-TV, noted “KFVE is very excited about partnering with the producers of Voice of the Sea to provide a weekly showcase about our ocean home and the surrounding environment. This show will feature adventure, exploration, culture, and science in an attractive manner for local TV viewers.”

As a signature project of the UH Sea Grant’s Center for Marine Science Education, the Voice of the Sea aims to inspire an interest in ocean science, and teach concepts that apply to viewers' own lives and their relationship with the ocean and planet. By enhancing viewers' understanding of who these science and cultural experts are and what they do each and every day, Voice of the Sea will create a more engaged and vibrant community. In addition, an important goal of the show is to inspire students to pursue a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, and become the next generation of leaders in their community.

For more information and to view a 3-minute promo for the first season, visit www.voiceofthesea.org. To contact Dr. Seraphin for an interview please call (808) 225-1753 or email Kanesa@hawaii.edu.

Voice of the Sea was developed by the Curriculum Research & Development Group and the UH Sea Grant Center for Marine Science Education, with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Pacific Services Center.